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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hitokiri" data-source="post: 1880133" data-attributes="member: 26469">Thats OK, I usually extend less legitimacy to GMs that plan everything out in advance.On the issue of winging it: I rarely have my games scripted beyond the goals and starting positions of the NPCs.  I try to know where each one is, and how they are LIKELY to act in some basic situations, but to my mind having everything decided beforehand makes for a static world.  PCs should not be the only one reacting to events around them, and being able to change what an NPC does (as long as it remains true to character of course) seems to bring my worlds to life.  Have I winged major plot twists that have screwed over PCs before?  You bet I have.  The real trick here is to not do it too often and to make it abundantly clear that what has happened is just a setback, not a complete failure.  Everything in moderation is the key.Now, with that background for me, I'd have no problem with what you did from a purly in-game related perspective.  However, it sounds like you need to talk with your players and figure out why some of them are becoming bored with the game, and whether it is salvagable or should be tied off ASAP.  If frustration is the biggest problem (as opposed to just being tired of playing in the setting, which would be enough to put the campaign to rest imho), then think about letting the players pull off a major coup.  It sounds like there is quite a bit of splintering in the gnome factions, could the PCs use that to their advantage.  Could the PCs play the gnomes off against one another and possibly oust the gnomes that are working against them, thus not only securing the artifact but also the support of the gnomes (who they know are trustworthy since they've cleaned house)?  The artifact needs to be repaired iirc, are the gnomes planning on doing the repairs themselves (thus allowing the PCs to retrieve the artifact and esentially skipping one of the steps they need to complete).  There are some great opportunities here for the PCs if they will just look for them.  I'd say let them sweat it out for another couple of games, and then let them have the artifact back (and maybe put them even closer to ultimately fulfilling their quest).  And don't, for the love of god, pull another major plot twist for some time.  Barring the PCs doing something horrendously stupid, they should be fairly confident that the artifact is not going to be leaving their possesion again anytime soon.  Of course, all this assumes your players cool off a little bit and aren't ready to just call it quits at your next session.</blockquote>

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